1899 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross
Wednesday, 10 January 1900. Three months’ siege
We got a good peppering from the enemy’s small gun placed in the brickfields this morning and old Creetje, whom we have now christened "Big Ben”, gave us a few, one of which, bursting just outside the back of the Court House, knocked holes all over it. Nobody hurt by shells today.
A poor woman named Polton was shot through the head today by a Mauser bullet, just as she was in the act of giving her husband his dinner. She, poor thing, died almost immediately, and was buried this evening. Meal and Wilson who both died of dysentery were also buried today. A Cape Boy in Wirsing’s yard [who] was shot through the neck by a Mauser bullet died this evening.
At 8 p.m. the enemy fired three of four shells into the town. No casualties.
Graham, the man who was wounded opening the large shell, died this evening. Two others in the hospital from the same cause are not expected to live.
Three more of the wounded from the Game Tree fight died this evening. Today has been a very bad day all round.
